With the new age-based eligibility rules the NCAA is implementing that allows all student athletes five years of eligibility, several players at Clemson are going to be impacted.

One example would be someone like Harris Sewell, who now suddenly has a fifth year of eligibility. Sewell was starting games for the Tigers by the end of his freshman campaign in 2023. After spending his first three years lining up at guard, Sewell has moved over to center and is expected to be the starter there during the upcoming season.

Under the old system, Sewell would be using his final year of eligibility in 2026, and Clemson would already be looking for a new starting center for the 2027 season. Looking at the roster now, the top candidate might be Grant Wise, who would only be in his second season, and Dabo Swinney has rarely started an underclassman at center. With the fifth year, Sewell could very easily be back in 2027.

Tight end Olsen Patt-Henry is another player who could benefit from a fifth year. A knee injury in November cut Patt-Henry’s season short last year, and with Chad Morris back running the offense, he’s a guy who is expected to benefit greatly under the new system. Depending on what happens in 2026, Patt-Henry could have a decision to make.

On the other side of the ball, defensive end Will Heldt is the first name that comes to mind. However, it might be more likely that he heads off to the NFL, assuming he has another productive season.

Transfer cornerback Elliot Washington II also suddenly has another year he can play at the collegiate level. Washington was one of the standouts during spring practice and is expected to start opposite Ashton Hampton this season.

Safety Ronan Hanafin is no longer entering what would have definitely been his final season. Hanafin has experienced a lot of growth since making the move from wide receiver after his freshman season. The hard-hitting defensive back is almost a guarantee to be a part of the rotation at safety.

The new rules also have big impacts on the incoming freshmen, seeing as redshirt seasons will no longer be a thing. Moving forward, coaches won’t have to worry about how many games some of their first-year players have appeared in to preserve a season of eligibility.

That means players like JR Hardrick and Michael Foster, two defensive ends viewed as developmental guys enrolling in the summer, could conceivably get more opportunities than they otherwise would have. Maybe we see more of offensive linemen Chance Barclay, Braden Wilmes, Leo Delaney or Carter Scruggs. Whether those freshmen play or not, and regardless of how many games they get into, the coming season will count as one of their five.

There will certainly be some challenges with managing the roster from a numbers standpoint, seeing as how many players just suddenly received an extra season of eligibility, but at the end of the day, this is a step in the right direction.